Used contact lenses and their packaging get filtered out of standard recycling due to their small size, which then is directed to the waste stream, contributing to landfills across the United States. TerraCycle and Bausch + Lomb have partnered up to create a free recycling program for all brands of contact lenses, blister packs and their foil lids.
Participating is in this program is completely free and very easy: Simply drop off your used (no need to clean before bringing in) contact lenses, blister packaging and foil lids. Do not bring in the cardboard boxes contacts come in as they are recyclable in your standard municipal recycling.not include them in your drop offs.
Most find it easiest to keep a small waterproof bag or container in a bathroom and toss in the packaging when you put in your contact lenses. When your container is full, bring it to our office to recycle!
When our large recycle bin is full we ship to Terracycle, who separates the contact lenses and blister packs by composition and are cleaned. The metal layers of the blister packs are recycled separately, while the contact lenses and plastic blister pack components are melted into plastic that can be remoldedto make recycled products.
Participating in this program benefits our environment by reducing the amount of contact lens waste deposited to landfillsacross the country. For every pound of accepted packaging sent through this program a $1 donation will be made to Optometry Giving Sight.